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Story 2
Welcome to the world of Asuka, where you'll be spending all your time from now on... The Beta Test Asuka began mysteriously, opening for a very small closed beta test. Many of the testers were prominent individuals in the gaming community, and all of them were sworn to NDAs. Regardless, some chose to break their silence to reveal what they saw. Those who did spoke of an incredibly advanced virtual reality MMO, so realistic that it didn't feel like a game at all. While characters had special abilities that could be activated, combat happened in real time, with actual movement and real tactics. Monsters did more than stand and fight, they reasoned, they hid, they pounced, and they sought out weak spots. NPCs seemed almost lifelike, and players swore they could feel real grass under their feet. Players who traveled the cold mountains claimed they could feel the freezing winds. Following the beta, the game disappeared for over a year, all while anticipation built. Very little was known about the company working on the game, and the technology was kept completely secret. The technology was too powerful, some said. A few weeks before the actual release, an employee from the company came forward and gave everyone a dire warning: Don't play the game or you'll become lost in it. Of course, being lost in a realistic fantasy setting was exactly what many players wanted. If anything, the warning only increased hype. Whether the warning was real or merely a publicity stunt, no one could be sure. Launch Day Huge lines formed all over to pick up hardware, and even more had theirs shipped to them. Launch day was spectacular -- massive numbers of players logged into the game to experience it for the first time. The game world was as advertised, as realistic as a new world, although one with a special HUD that guided basic MMO actions. After creating a character, players began in a tutorial area which introduced them to the ins and outs of the game world. Once they advanced to a starting class, players ended up in Prontera, the main hub city that links to all the other cities. It wasn't until a few hours in that the first players began to realize that there was no function to log out. Word spread quickly through the game as players searched for a way to return to the real world, only to find that there was no way to do so. Players also began to realize just how realistic the world was. Combat resulted in pain and injuries, some players desperately seeking those who could heal to ease their suffering. Many players began to huddle in the city of Prontera, afraid to leave the city walls where monsters roamed. Inside the Game The world of Asuka is self-contained. Not only can players not log out, but there is no way to communicate with the outside world. Due to proprietary hardware, players are linked through a VR system, and there is no "alt tab." A short time after the realization that there was no logging out, the game stopped accepting new players. There's now no new information coming into the game to share news, and all who disappear are gone for good. Death within the game seems to be the only way to "log out," although no one is sure what happens to those who do so. During the first few days, a number of players were pulled out of the game, presumably by friends and loved ones in the real world. Reactions to the situation varied. While many opted to stay in Prontera, others set out into the world to fight and advance. Some theorize that completing the game will hold some form of reward. Others assume that it's merely a mistake and they need only wait out the resolution. For some, the experience remains a game, and they seek to enjoy themselves as much as possible. Parties formed, guilds were founded, and many individuals set out to understand the world and its rules and limitations. The event where the game began rejecting new players became known as the Lockdown. For many, this is the beginning of the world.